Floyd L. Burt

Floyd L. Burt, age 97 of Viroqua, died Monday, April 25, 2011. Floyd L. Burt, 97, of Viroqua passed away Monday evening in the Vernon Memorial Hospital surrounded in death, as he was in life, by his loving family. Floyd was born Jan. 15, 1914, near West Lima, Wis. (rural Vernon County) to Frank and Ethel (Lepley) Burt. He spent most of his boyhood on the family farm with his six brothers and sisters: Beulah, Durward, Martha and Lester, now deceased, and Merna, of Sauk City, and Catherine, of Altoona. His father, Frank, passed away in 1954, and his mother, Ethel, in 1997 at the incredible age of 108. Floyd attended grade school and high school in West Lima where he graduated in 1932. He entered Vernon County Normal School in Viroqua in 1932 and graduated a year later with a degree that qualified him to teach grade school. This was during the Great Depression, and teaching jobs were scarce at the time. He soon began working at the Liberty Pole Cheese Factory, rural Viroqua, owned by his maternal uncle, Lee Lepley. However, shortly after obtaining a Wisconsin cheese makers license, he found a teachers position at the nearby Weber School where he taught for two years. He later taught three years at the Retreat School and supplemented his $60 a month teaching salary by continuing to work for Uncle Lee during the summer months. In 1939, Floyd along with his brother and lifelong best friend, Durward, went into the cheese business themselves, building the Bud Cheese Factory, six miles west of Viroqua. Later they also became partners in the La Farge Creamery. On June 1, 1940, Floyd married Marvalene Coy, also from West Lima, and they continued to live in Bud and operate the cheese factory there for more than 45 years. Bud cheese gained a sterling reputation for quality and received numerous awards, including being the four-time winner (1969, 1971, 1973 and 1974) of the Governors Sweepstakes, an award presented annually to the top cheddar shown at the Wisconsin State Fair. In the 1980s, one of Floyds products was named by Esquire Magazine as the best cheddar in the nation as judged by an international panel of experts. In addition to his expertise in the cheese industry, Floyd was an old-time fix-it man who helped keep milk trucks, motorhomes, family cars and even the occasional motorcycle in top working condition. He seldom took a vehicle to a professional mechanic if he could repair it at home. Most of the time he succeeded. In addition to the complexities of maintaining a powerful steam boiler and the mechanical and electrical equipment in the cheese plant he also found time to do some light plumbing and construction when necessary. Above all he will be remembered by those who knew him best as a kind man with a pleasant disposition who loved conversation. He was generous with his time and willingly helped his friends, family, neighbors and community. Floyd and Marvalene have two children: Terry (Dana) of La Crosse, and Sue (Jim) Fischer of Eagle River. Terrys children are Amy of Milledgeville, Ga.; Randy of Grafton, Erich (Lori) of Grafton, and their daughters Adelyn and Lauren; Brenda (Chris) Matthews, of Monticello, Ga., and their sons Collin and Cooper; and Michelle (Brian) Thomas, of Wauwatosa. Sues children are David Fischer of Rhinelander; Patrick (Cindy) Fischer of Green Bay and their son, Nathan; Shelly Fischer of Raleigh, N.C. Melissa (Tim) Tanke of Green Bay and their sons, Joseph and Benjamin; Amanda (Paul) Bushmaker of Stevens Point, and their sons Simon and Max and daughter, Ava. Floyd gave countless hours of service to his community. He was active in the Viroqua Church of Christ and served on the church board and the church camp board for many years. He also served more than 25 years as a member of the Vernon Memorial Hospital Board of directors and was elected to the Viroqua School Board in the 1960s. In addition, he was active in the Masonic Lodge in Viroqua for more than 50 years and also was a member of the Shriners and Eastern Star. Floyd and Marvalene lived in the tiny unincorporated village of Bud for 56 years before moving to a home in Viroqua where they lived independently until about one year ago and celebrated their 70th anniversary in June of 2010. As age and illness took their toll on this formerly independent and tireless soul, Floyd spent the last several months of his life in the Bethel Home in Viroqua. He will be sadly missed by his family, but they realize they were fortunate to have him for as long as they did. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the Viroqua Church of Christ, 825 Nelson Parkway, Viroqua. Pastor Jeff Coon will officiate with burial in the Viroqua Cemetery. Friends may call on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. with a Masonic Service at 5:45 p.m. at the Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home, 123 W. Decker (Hwy 56) in Viroqua. Friends may also call at the church on Saturday after 10:00 a.m. The Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home of Viroqua is serving the family.